Pouting playfully, Barry pulled out of the parking lot. "You'd say the same thing if I told you I didn't like cats."
One-On-One (Closed)
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Kasey froze and glared at him, though she wasn’t actually upset. “That’s different. You could live without your music for a few car rides. I can’t live without my cat.”
"Excuse you," he huffed dramatically, still joking. "I cannot live without my sappy, old rock. It keeps me alive, you know."
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“Well, Ginger keeps me alive!” Kasey argued with a pout in his direction.
"So do the Beatles!" he answered, struggling not to laugh.
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“But they’re dead! Ginger is alive!” Kasey protested as her lips twitched.
Barry nearly crashed the car. “I’m sorry, what?” he gaped at her in shock, “Paul and Ringo are still very much alive!!”
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Kasey crinkled her nose. "Well… They're not making music anymore, are they? Ginger is still… uh, being Ginger…"
“Paul still is!” he defended relentlessly, “Besides, even if they weren’t, their old music would still be a gift to the world! They were the first boy band! They were amazing! Their music literally changed the world!”
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Kasey sighed and leaned back in her seat. “Okay, okay… I’m calling this a tie, then. We both want something, and we both are okay with what the other wants.”
“Fine,” he huffed, sticking out his lower lip.
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“Why’re you pouting, babe? I said it was a tie,” Kasey said, a soft chuckle finally escaping her lips.
“You said the Beatles were all dead!” Barry protested, still pouting.
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“I didn’t know! I don’t know anything about them except that you like them and they made music,” Kasey protested with a shrug. “Sue me.”
Barry continued his grumbling until they pulled into a parking lot near a large park. "I hope she's here already…"
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“What car does she drive?” Kasey wondered as she looked around.
"Cute little blue car," Barry said over his shoulder as they climbed from his own vehicle. "Sort of vintage? Flowers painted on the side."
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Kasey stepped out and made her way to stand beside him, offering him her hand. “Is that it?” she asked, nodding toward one in the distance that seemed to match the description.
Barry's whole face lit up at the sight of the familiar car. "That's it!" he confirmed, already making his way towards it with his fiancée in tow.
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"Woah, woah! Hey, slow down, love! You're fiancée has shorter legs than you, you know," Kasey reminded him with a laugh as she was tugged on.
Barry stuck his tongue out at her, but the moment he saw his cousin, emerging from the car, a laugh escaped from his lips. "Eva!" The young woman ran towards them, grinning widely.
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Kasey somehow managed to keep up with Barry as he made his way to his cousin, holding tightly to his hand. She smiled at the young woman who met them, giving her a nod in greeting. So this was her love's cousin…
Barry (very briefly) stepped away from Kasey to give his cousin an enormous bear hug, grinning from ear to ear. "I haven't seen you in forever, oh my god," the young woman laughed, shoving him playfully away before turning to Kasey. "Hey, I'm Eva, it's really great to meet you. Barry talks about you nonstop over the phone."
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Kasey laughed softly and glanced over at Barry with a soft smile before turning back to her. "Well, I hope it's all good things," she joked, looping her arms through her fiancé's. "He has been so excited for this day. He wouldn't stop talking about it and how much he wanted it to go well. I can tell he thinks highly of you."
"Only good things," Barry and Eva chirped in unison, then burst out laughing. The latter rubbed bashfully at the name of her neck, and her dimples deepened. It was uncanny how similar the cousins looked—not in colouration, but in features. They had the same lopsided grin, the same set of dimples, the same mischievous sparkle in their eye. "I've been really excited, too," she admitted, "It's been a while since the first time he rambled on the phone about you, and I've wanted to meet you for a long time. Kasey, right?"
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"Yeah, it's Kasey," she affirmed, reaching out to shake Eva's hand with a grin. "I'm really glad to finally meet you."
"Me too," she replied, eagerly shaking the older woman's hand. "I'm sorry you have to put up with my cousin's gross old music all the time."
"Hey!" Indignant, Barry shoved at Eva's shoulder.
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Kasey laughed again and playfully nudged his side. "We were just discussing that, actually. I don't really mind his old music. I think it's fun."
Eva made a face at Barry, to which he responded to by huffing and sticking out his tongue like a petulant child. Turning back to her cousin's fiancée, Eva motioned towards the large field behind them. "At least it's not torture, then. Let's pick a spot?"
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"Not at all," Kasey chuckled, shaking her head. "And, yes, let's. I was thinking somewhere near the middle of the park?"